Wilson Blanchard has just announced that they will withdraw their demolition permit application and instead preserve the existing buildings at 18-22 King Street East, while proceeding with the demolition of 24 and 28 King Street East.

18-28 King Street East

In a news release issued late this morning, VP David Blanchard is quoted saying:

I appreciate that Hamiltonians care about the history of their city. We've been looking long and hard at all the options and feel confident about this new direction to preserve the façade of 18-22 King Street East. While the larger plan for the redevelopment of the south side of Gore Park will take a significant amount of time to complete, this is something we can move forward with immediately.

Previously, the company had announced a proposal to demolish the buildings and build a grocery store with a multi-level parking lot in their place. They requested a demolition permit in mid-December, which automatically took effect on January 9.

For buildings that are not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, the owner must only give the city 20 days' notice of an intent to demolish.

In general, Council as a whole has not shown much interest in taking an active role in heritage designation, though Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr and Ward 1 Councillor Brian McHattie have met with Wilson Blanchard to discuss options.

The Heritage Committee recommended designating 18-28 King East as municipal heritage buildings at its December meeting, but Council would have to ratify that recommendation. The Spectator just reported that a motion was passed at today's planning committee meeting to designate 18-22 King Street East while allowing the demolition of 24-28 King Street East.

A campaign was launched at the end of December called on Ontario Minister Michael Chan to designate the building, but a recent article in the Globe and Mail reports that Minister Chan considers this a local matter.

The oldest of the buildings under threat was designed by William Thomas, one of North America's most famous Gothic Revival architects of the 19th century, and built in 1840.

More to come as we learn more details about this development.

Update: This article originally stated that Wilson Blanchard plans to preserve the facade of 18-28 King Street East. It actually plans to preserve 18-22 King Street East.

Update 2: Updated to add a rendering of the Gore streetwall issued today by Wilson Blanchard.

Rendering of restored 18-22 King East with new development on 24-28 King East (Image Credit: Wilson Blanchard)

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. He also maintains a personal website and has been known to post passing thoughts on Twitter @RyanMcGreal.

Still depressing. Old buildings that can't be replaced lost and a gaping hole on the Gore, where the city has been trying to bring back to life with pedestrianization. How long before anything even gets built?

Just to help clear things up, 18 King is the Scotiabank, 22 is Mahal, 24 is the Steelhouse Grill and 28 is the South Side. This means that the two white buildings are likely to be demo'd, which makes sense given the difference in size.

Still waiting for the Randle Reef mess to get cleaned up, but hopefully not much longer!

I'm still trying to get some more clarification on this, but from what I can tell, Wilson Blanchard has worked out a deal with the City whereby the building at 18-22 - the grey, three-storey buildings on the right side of the photo next to the Scotiabank - will be designated under the Heritage Act and preserved.

Meanwhile, the buildings at 24 and 28 - the two four-storey buildings on the left side of the photo next to the already-demolished gap tooth - will be demolished and left vacant until whenever Wilson-Blanchard's redevelopment plan comes together.

In other words, they're saving one building but the rest of the streetwall will likely be broken for at least the next couple of years.

By Dolts indeed (anonymous) | Posted January 22, 2013 at 10:09:33
in reply to Comment 85209

They DO have a process that functions. but they are afraid to use it. If they move an intent to designate, then the demolition permits are immediately voided.

This is a tool that they should be using to negotiate with developers. But they are either too stupid, too scared, or too corrupt to do so.

Instead they try to negotiate with businessmen using only incentives and no punishments. These dolts represent the citizens and it has become clear that they have absolutely no capability of negotiating on our behalf.

You got outgunned by a guy who does't even know what he is doing and is now telling use that it could take years to accomplish. For Pete's sake, you might as well grab a hammer and give Blanchard a head start.

There is no decision that anything will be designated. The only thing that happened was he relinquished the current permit. He can go get another. He can change his mind. If you don't create standards and rules for how heritage buildings are treated they will never become Heritage Buildings. Farr and McHattie shouldn't be meeting with Blanchard, they should be meeting with the province and demand designation. Enough pussy footing around.

"For Pete's sake, you might as well grab a hammer and give Blanchard a head start."

Brilliant.

Our politicians think they have saved the day, but have been completely out-manouevered. When the wrecking ball ultimately hits all the buildings,the councilors will bleat " we did our best." (vote for us again, please.)

Update: I was not in possession of all the facts, and was a little harsh on the downtown core councilors, who it turns out did what they could in the face of some councilors who are determined to completely derail a proper heritage designation process.

By DowntownInHamilton (registered) | Posted January 15, 2013 at 22:33:36

Why does the artist's rendition have the bank as a cafe? They don't own that building, much as they'd like to. I love the interior of that building - the huge wood panelling, the marble, the big coat of arms and the clock, the downstairs vault, the big open space. I'd hate to see that place become a cafe.

I nominate the following quote for the Irony Statement of the Year Award.

Quoted in an article in The Spec - http://bit.ly/ZVm4sC - Kathy Drewitt, Executive Director of the downtown BIA, says that "what sets Hamilton core apart from other cities is the "historic architecture".

Do I assume that the downtown BIA is toothless and gutless? Organizing Christmas lighting in Gore Park is all very nice, but....

Comment edited by movedtohamilton on 2013-01-16 08:43:55

A village can't organize village life to suit the village idiots. Especially in Hamilton.